Till Death Do Us Part
by xtubbyx
Summary: Tommy has given up on meeting his soul mate while Holly curses the Potter luck and thanks Merlin she always has her beaded bag on her.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"_She's a beauty. I'm Holly Potter."_

He'd always had the words written across his chest. The first words his soulmate would speak to him. He supposed he should feel lucky, his words gave a name, which was actually quite rare. However no matter how hard he dug and looked into the name he could never find who it was that was fated for him and at over thirty now he'd given up any hope of meeting them. His family knew not to bring the subject up anymore. Whoever Holly Potter was she was probably better of without him.

Sometimes, rare moments when he allowed himself to, he wondered what she was like. Was she older or younger than him? Where was she from, perhaps London or even the North. The rare nights he wasn't plagued by nightmares of France he would dream of what he thought she was like. She was always petite in his dreams, with pale skin and long curly black hair. The brightest green eyes he'd ever seen would pierce his soul every time and seemed to be able to tell exactly what he was thinking. He often catches himself wondering if this was really her, what she actually looked like and found himself avoiding woman that resembled her when the words don't initially come out of their mouth.

When he allows Grace in he tells himself that she's probably already dead and that is why he's seeing her in his dreams. His blood telling him to move forward with his life. And so he does. He throws himself into the business, the expansion into London, and makes himself a new enemy in Sabini.

And then he goes to the Auction, where he may come away with more than he'd planned to.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Alright lads, this is respectable event and you'll all behave accordingly." he said to the men as they followed him towards the stairs up to the viewing gallery " No weapons No drinking. Jon," he said looking back at his brother bringing up the rear "we will all stay together. When the horse comes up, I'll bid. I've already registered my interest with the auctioneer and so he knows to expect my bid"

Curly, who'd been fluttering around in a tizzy since arriving spoke up then "Do I get to run a hand over her, Tommy." Shaking his head he replied to Curly, trying to get him to relax "We have a vets report. Keep an eye open when she walks." Didn't seem to work though as he continued fretting as he said "I just I got a feeling something isn't right Tommy."

"It's alright Curly, your just in a unfamiliar place. We all are." However even as he said it he himself developed a strange feeling as he entered the auction ring. "I get feeling sometimes" Curly continues but Tommy interrupted him as they entered the crowd standing by the railings "It's all right Curly."

Approaching the railing he tuned his men out as he scanned the room and the horses below. The auction was well under way with only a few lots left, the filly being one of the last. He watched as the current lot, a older bay stallion was walked round the ring as the bidding hit the 2600 mark. Running a critical eye over him he could tell whoever was buying him was getting a fine horse for they're money and was one he may have put himself forward for if he hadn't already decided on the filly. The auctioneer slamming down his hammer, selling the horse had him looking up around the gallery to see who had bought the beast. They lack of name asked for told him whoever it was, was a regular.

He found them to his left, at the opposite end of the ring from the auctioneer, but in his direct line of sight. A gentleman perhaps only slightly older than him along with a young lady that he couldn't get a good look at as she was standing side on talking to the man. All he could see was curly black hair that reached the middle of her back. Suddenly as if feeling his eyes on her the woman turned around to face the ring and he felt his breath catch in his throat as he got a look at her. Her eyes caught his attention first. Even from the distance and hidden under the large hat she was wearing he could see the bright emerald green colour of them. They where set on a pale heart shaped face and framed by the curly hair and she was beautiful. However what had Tommy forgetting to breath was she was the woman from his dreams.

"All right Tommy this is her." He nearly jumped when he heard Charlie's voice at his ear and swung his head back to the ring to see the grey filly being walked around. From what he could see she looked good and so readied himself to start bidding as the price climbed. At eight fifty he nodded his head to enter the bid and then watched the room to see who he was up against. His eyes drifted to his left to see the lady watching the filly walk around before she glanced towards him. The man at her side leaned down to whisper something to her and she nodded her head and stepped away from the railing before walking away towards the exit.

He had to tear his eyes away from her retreating form as the bidding got to one thousand and a new bidder entered the war. This pair was, again and man and woman but with a larger age difference. The man bid against him right up to two thousand with his uncle and brother complaining in his ear the whole time, but he was having this horse, and he got her to the apparent annoyance of the woman.

"Sold to Mr ?" the auctioneer didn't finish the sentence, but looked u at him waiting for him to finish it. "Thomas Shelby."

He gave the lady that had yet to take her eyes of him a nod before turning away and walking towards the stairs. He needed to pay for the filly and sort out the transportation of getting her to Charlie's, and a part of him was hoping to run into his dream girl.

He didn't find any trace of her down in the hallways as he made his way to the auctioneers office but luckily he was only waiting a few moments before he was allowed in to sort t all out. He saw the critical eye that was ran over him as he gave the information needed as so he took pleasure in adding the quip of telling fortunes before slipping out of the office. His brothers where waiting for him n the hallway but the clicking of heels caught everyone's attention before they could get moving.

It was the lady that he'd out bid that came round the corner and she spoke as soon as she saw him, making him turn round too face her "You beat us to it."

"Did I?" he said stepping closer, humouring her.

"I was trying to nab a filly for my stud."

"I'm sorry." he said bluntly, not really meaning it.

"Thomas Shelby, form where." He watched her for a moment and had to given her points for not giving up. "From Birmingham."

"Goodness."

"No not much." His reply through he for a second before she extended her hand introducing herself "May Carleton. I breed race horses and train them. What is it you do?"

He could hear the guys behind him getting bored and so relied "I rarely answer questions is what I do." he needed this conversation over. The longer he wasted here the slimmer his chances of finding his dream girl and getting his answer on if she was who he thought she was.

"Tommy! Come on hurry up! We've got to go!" For once Arthur's interruption was wanted and he glanced over at them to see John sniggering away and Arthur looking as if he was just getting started.

"If you ever decide to put her out i'd love to have her."

"I plan to race her." he said withholding a sigh at her persistence. Unfortunately his answer seemed to perk her interest more, "Do you have a trainer?"

"I know people."

"I know people to." she said while handing him a card with her name and number on it, while Arthur and John start up again behind him. Ignoring them he put the card in his pocket while saying "We know different people I would guess."

"My father knows Mick Hancock. He trained three Ascot winners."

"Ah, so that was your father."

"Yes. We're joint owners of the stud. He took the majority share when my husband was killed."

"Tommy!" Arthur shouted again "We got to get back to the caravans. The chickens there hungry" He watched her reaction to Arthur's messing and was impressed at how she took Arthur's hazing before she ignored him and asked him "So will you consider me?"

Nodding at her he told her he would before turning towards his brothers and got ready to leave. Just as he reached them a petite figure blocked their way, or rather his brothers where blocking her way into the office. Arthur immediately took his foot of the door frame and stood straight when the woman raised a fine black eyebrow at the leg that was blocking her way. She gave a nod and a quiet "Gentlemen" to John and Arthur as they stepped further into the office allowing her to slip past them with her eyes down watching where she was stepping. When she looked up Tommy felt his breath catch again, only this time he knew Arthur and John heard him as their heads swung towards him as he watched move further into the room towards where May was standing.

"Hey you." May said with a friendly smile as his dream girl went to go into the office he'd not long ago came out of. "I was wondering where you'd slipped of to. I saw you got that stallion you where after."

"Had a private sale to sort." Tommy knew a sentence with a hidden meaning when he heard one, and that was defiantly one. "What are you doing here? I wasn't aware you'd bought anything and there wasn't much more lots left when I left?"

"I lost to Mr Shelby here on the grey Tetrech filly." May said nodding his head towards him, and Tommy held his breath as green eyes looked towards him and with a smile held out her hand towards him "She's a beauty. I'm Holly Potter."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It was as if the world around him had disappeared and all he could see was his soulmate standing in front of him. He drunk in the sight of her, trying to memorise all he could see, from the slightly unruly hair that was no longer under a hat to the muddy boots on her feet. He had never realised just how much he'd really truly wanted to meet his soulmate until that moment when his words slipped from her lips. It felt as if the world around him disappeared and a sigh of relief slipped from him his lip before he could stop it. It was so out of character of him but he found himself not caring in that moment. He hadn't realised his brother's where so close until he heard Arthurs exclamation of "HOLY shit" in his right ear and brought him back to earth, while at the same time John gave out a " Bloody hell." It would seem they both recognised the words as the ones that had been on his chest his whole life.

Holly's reaction to his brother's swearing was one of confusion but at the same time amusement if the smile on her face was anything to go by. So she was used to the language of men. Watching her intently he reached for the hand that she still had outstretched. His hand seemed to tingle as he held hers and he said "Well it's about time."

The reaction was instant. As soon as the words where past his lips her hand that was still in his clenched in surprise as her face showed shock, lips parting to let out a quick huff of breath and he knew somewhere those words where written on her skin. "Thomas Shelby. Pleasure to meet you" he said while keeping a light hold of her hand and bending slightly to press a kiss to the back of it. He watched her as she struggled to find words, an excited flush taking over her pale cheeks giving them a nice rosy look. Her eyes shown as they locked onto his, seeming to take in everything he had to offer as he took in every part of her.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something the auctioneer came out of the office behind, and when he spotted Holly he seemed to puff himself up and let out a jolly "Lady Potter" as he tried to gain his soulmates attention. The Lady part surprised Tommy, but looking at the expensive clothes she wore and the ability to buy a horse worth 2600 and not seem to bat an eyelid maybe he shouldn't of been. Holly didn't seem to hear the auctioneer though as her eyes stayed glued to him and without saying anything she reached over with her left hand and pushed the sleeve of her right arm up. With her hand still being in his she twisted her arm to the side slightly and as the sleeve of her blouse hit her elbow he could see the words he'd just uttered written on the inside of her arm. To copy her he brought his left hand up to his chest and silently tapped where the words she'd uttered where sitting under his clothes.

Movement in the corner of his eye just over Holly's shoulder caught his attention and he let his eyes drift of Holly to the auctioneer standing there and couldn't keep the glare of his face as his eyes meet his. Breaking eye contact with her seemed to have woken Holly up to the fact that they weren't alone and that the auctioneer was trying to gain her attention. Tommy saw the quick flash of annoyance that passed over her face before a polite smile showed itself as she twisted to the side slightly to look at the auctioneer. She had to drop his hand to do it but it also put her closer to him so if he took a step forward her whole left arm would be brushing his chest. He should of stepped back but he didn't want to.

Seeing that he now had her attention the auctioneer started going on about the details of the horse she'd bought and Tommy listened to her as she spoke. There was a slight Scottish brogue that crept in every now and again but mostly she spoke as one raised in London would. He perked up when she was asked on the horses destination. "Will they be going to your Uncle's place in Stinchcombe or your new place?"

"Stinchcombe. The stables aren't ready at the house in Warwickshire." Tommy felt his eye widen at just how close it sounded she was going to be to Birmingham.

"Right, right of course Lady Potter." Watching the auctioneer Tommy took note of the simpering and ass licking he was doing to hold the attention of his soulmate. Whoever she was she seemed to be important and he wondered why she had been so impossible to find. As the man continued to prattle on Tommy could see she was starting to get annoyed and from the impatient glances over at him e figured she wanted to get back to their own conversation. With a smirk that he made sure she caught he finally had enough had interrupted the auctioneer mid sentence.

"Lady Potter." he started not sure how to address, her only to be interrupted as soon as he'd said it "Please call me Holly."

"Holly. Perhaps you'd join me in going to the stables. I've to organise the transport of my own horse." he asked her wanting to get her away from the prying eyes and get to know her.

With a blinding smile she stepped towards him, ignoring the spluttering auctioneer, and took the arm he offered her while saying "I'd love to. I've to make sure my one is transferred to the stables for the night."

"Your not for home today then?" he asked her as the passed his brothers who where watching him with stupid smiles on their faces.

"No. The horses will be stabled here tonight and we'll leave tomorrow. It's too long a journey for them at this time of the day. Better to wait to morning and leave first thing." Tommy nodded his head, understanding. They meet Charlie, Michael and Curly out in the main hall and having not been in the room with them he saw the confused looks that where sent his way at Holly's presence. Arthur and John passed him to stand by Charlie and while John stood with a stupid grin on his face, Arthur watched Tommy and knew from the look he was giving him that he wanted him to make them all disappear.

"Tommy, why don't we go bring the truck round back while you head straight to the stables with the Lady Potter?" Arthur said. Charlie recognised the name straight away, head snapping up to look on the two of them while Curly and Michael both continued looking on with confused expressions. Nodding his head at his brother, grateful he went to move of with Holly, only for the voice of May to speak up from behind.

"Holly, will I still be seeing you at seven?" she asked his soulmate who paused in their walk and twisted slightly to look back at her. She tilted her head slightly thinking about it before looking up at him, raising her eyebrow slightly as if her decision depended on him. Thinking quickly he worked through what work was waiting for him at home and debating what he could put of or pass onto one of his brothers in order to spend some extra time with his soul mate. Holly must have seen the debate in his eyes as she turned back to May and said "Can I get back to you on that?"

May seemed to know it was coming as she simply smiled at Holly and nodded her head in acceptance before following his brothers out the front door to the cars parked outside.

Now that the pair of them where alone Tommy led them towards the auction ring through which they'd get to the stable's. As they walked he found them able to fall into a nervous sort of chatter. He found out that she was living with a man she called uncle Henry, who was in fact a distant relative who got custody of her when her parents where killed when she was a baby. Now at twenty five she was trying to find her own way and found herself with an eye for picking out and breeding fine horses. The stallion she'd bought was one known for his stamina, and while no great champion himself she was hoping when paired with a mare she had that was a champion sprinter she would get quite the offspring out of it. He tried to keep to the legal side of business when talking about himself, not wanting to scare her of before he'd spent more than an hour with her.

As they stepped into the ring he spotted the man sitting at the desk at the end and saw how he looked up and watched the two of them walk across the sand. He felt Holly tense up beside him before she muttered something indistinguishable under her breath and the man seemed to hesitate before looking back down and they walked passed without issue, but Tommy listened to his instincts and kept his left hand near his gun. They steeped into the walkway behind the ring and made they're way into the stables where they where directed to the stable office at the end of the barn. Holly seemed to be a regular as she was simple told that her horses had already been moved by her people into her designated stables. It was when Tommy stepped up that problems arose. Handing over the bill of sale for the filly he waited as it was checked of and told where she was stabled. It was when he inquired about transport that he was told that they're weren't any boxes set to go to Birmingham. Anyone that had bought horses to go that way had brought there own personal boxes, Holly included.

Before Tommy's temper could flare up, Holly spoke up from where she was listening in beside him. "Thomas, we're heading that way, we can take her. She would need to be stabled here tonight but I'm sure it would save a lot of hassle of trying to get other arrangements made. Plus it'll give me the excuse to see you again so soon after today" she said the last part with a mischievous smile and even though she called him Thomas, a name he usually didn't like people calling him, he couldn't help smiling back at her. And so they went and watched as his new filly was moved round to the stalls Holly had been giving for the night. Holly had bought two, the stallion and a young black colt that looked of an age that was ready to go into training.

As they looked over each others horses Holly told him she was staying at a hotel in town for the night and that she'd originally had plans to have dinner with May and he father along with her own head groom. They where to discuss May taking on a colt she had that she was wanting to enter into the Epson derby. Tommy found it ironic she told him this as she was looking over the filly he'd bought to do just that as well. Seeing an opportunity he joined her beside the grey filly and asked "If you no longer have plans with Ms Carlton then perhaps you'd allow me to take you to dinner?" Holly looked up at him with her green eyes shinning in joy and with a nod of the head and a smile accepted his offer to dinner.

As he looked down at her he found himself drifting closer until they're arms where brushing. Holly head tipped to the ide slightly in order to keep eye contact with him and he found himself leaning down, his own eyes drifting down to her lips. He caught her tongue swiping over them as he watched and held in a groan. Just as he was about to close the distance between them he heard the racket of his family as they entered the stables and spotting them made they're way over. Holly stepped back from him looking down at her feet but Tommy could see the blush taking over her cheeks at what nearly happened between them.

"Tommy you ready to go?" Arthur said as he came up to them.

"Change of plans lads." Tommy said as he turned to them and he caught Johns smirk as he guessed those change of plans had to do with Holly. "There are no boxes going to Birmingham but, Holly here has graciously offered to bring her along with her own load. However she doesn't leave until the morning so the filly will be stabled here tonight. I will stay at the hotel tonight in order to make sure Holy is able to leave with the horse in the morning."

"How do you plan on getting back Tommy. We only came in the truck." Tommy knew it was a fair question and while he didn't like relying on her so early he was hoping that perhaps Holly would come to the rescue again, if not it would be a train journey home to Birmingham. As if on cue Holly spoke up again "If he's stuck for a lift I'm sure we can squeeze him into the box." she said with a knowing laugh. Tommy smiled, it would seem she knew exactly what he was playing at.

"You lot head home, get the kid back to Polly before she comes hunting for us." he said nodding over to Michael who had obviously been caught up on who Holly was to Tommy. He walked over to Arthur then and said to him quietly. "If I'm not back in time make sure that one of you show up to the Hancock funeral and give his mother the money Polly's setting aside." Getting Arthur's acceptance he stepped back and watched as they all turned back the way they came and left the stables, Charlie having to drag Curly away from Holly's young colt that had demanded his attention when he stopped beside it.

Looking at the time as he turned back to Holly he said "Well looks like I best book myself a room for the night."


End file.
